The Sweet Alpha Crown Prince Loves Me So Much

The shocked atmosphere inside the hall quickly turned into a cheerful mood with the Emperor and Empress’ striking entrance.

As everyone was well aware of Glenn’s unwavering love for Theresa, the nobles simply laughed off the situation.

The Emperor, dressed in a black ceremonial robe, gently placed the Empress on a plush chair and lightly kissed her cheek, causing her to furrow her brow but not rebuke the Emperor in front of the nobles.

Leia, who had come to the banquet hall earlier and was sipping champagne, naturally envisioned the future of Carl Lindbergh and Adrian Heineken.

Based on Adrian’s actions, she thought he would be just as, if not more, extravagant than Glenn.

Once the preparations of the protagonists were complete, all the attendees would leave the hall and take their seats under the supervision of the High Priest to make their vows.

With the blessings of many people, when the protagonists exited, they would return inside and enjoy eating and drinking for the rest of the day.

The order of the banquet itself was similar to that of the Lindbergh Kingdom, but the atmosphere was distinctly different.

Even the servants who served the distinguished guests were dressed in their finest attire, and the air was relaxed and comfortable.

Leia also planned to enjoy the banquet leisurely, as it had been a while since she had done so.

After the engagement ceremony, she would have to return to Lindbergh and would likely be busy dealing with various matters, leaving no time for such banquets.

As she listened to the orchestra playing slightly faster music, she recalled the Lindbergh orchestra, which mainly played waltzes.

Calling it a performance would be an overstatement, as no one actually danced.

The music filled the hall with vibrant colors.

Afterward, nobles of the Heineken approached Leia, greeting her and engaging in various conversations.

It was not only a happy occasion for the Heineken but also for Lindbergh. However, it was a novelty for Leia, who was accustomed to being ignored.

Leia silently organized her thoughts, observing the nobles who surrounded her and engaged in small talk, and prioritizing what she needed to do.

She would correct the laws of the country, lower taxes, grant titles to those who were not of noble birth, and delegate land development to them before expressing her gratitude and leaving.

“Princess, I heard your maid cannot speak?”

At that moment, someone pulled her out of her thoughts.

Were they trying to get her attention?

Janis, stiffly holding onto her first-ever frilly dress, stood right beside her, and she was openly pointing out her flaws.

“Yes, why do you ask?”

As Leia’s gaze became more fierce, Janis forced a smile and took a step back.

She didn’t mind being called mute, but she worried about tarnishing the honor of the mistress she served with affection.

The Viscount who governed the provincial city of Heineken shook his head towards his wife.

He could sense that Leia was offended.

Sensing her discomfort, she adjusted her tone and demeanor, clasping her hands together.

“Excuse me, but may I ask how you are conversing?”

At her polite tone, Leia responded with a slightly softened attitude.

“My maid is intelligent and quick-witted, so she understands even without asking. For small talk and such, she uses handwriting.”

“I see. I was wondering if you knew sign language.”

“Sign language?”

Leia’s eyes widened, and the wife of the Viscount, who was much older than her, put down her fan and gestured for Janis to come closer.

While doing so, she demonstrated a few hand movements.

Janis’ face, showing her lack of understanding, prompted a nod from the Viscount and his wife as they exchanged glances.

“As a matter of fact, our child cannot speak either. That’s why we use sign language as a means of communication.”

Upon hearing Viscount’s words, Leia let out a small “Ah.”

“That child cannot speak and is also unable to hear. That’s why we taught her sign language from a young age, and as parents, we naturally learned it as well.”

She further explained that some signs were very simple and straightforward, easily understood by the maid through observation. Then, she raised her index and middle fingers against the back of her hand, imitating someone walking, and made a gesture of holding a cup with one hand. In response, Janis went to the beverage table.

Leia knew that although Janis couldn’t speak, she could hear well, but she didn’t stop her because she realized it was just a demonstration.

“I’ve been paying attention to the maid you cherish the most, Princess. I thought it would be nice for you to have a conversation with her at least once.” 

The Viscount’s wife said, her cheeks slightly flushed.

The Viscount and his wife, who had lived twice as long as Leia, said they had more conversations in sign language at home than in spoken language.

At that moment, Janis returned with three glasses of fruit-scented drinks, and the Viscount’s wife said, “Thank you,” expressing her gratitude through sign language as well.

Janis quickly learned one sign language expression that meant “thank you.”

Seeing Janis’ eyes sparkle with joy, Leia’s heart fluttered.

“It’s simple, isn’t it?”

“Anyone can quickly learn to use it once they learn.”

“…I see.”

It wasn’t a bad idea to have a conversation with Janis and exchange small talk.

However, Leia refrained from initiating conversations with her in front of others due to the lack of space for paper and pen, which meant she would have to kneel on the floor, dirtying her skirt.

“You can have a conversation like any other person, anytime, anywhere.”

Being able to have conversations with her, like a mother or sometimes an older sister, at any time, was something Leia had never wished for.

“How do I learn?”

Leia asked, prompting the Viscount to speak cautiously.

“There is a separate academy in Heineken, but considering that the Princess will soon return to Lindbergh and cannot leave the maid behind, perhaps you could take our child with you to Lindbergh.”

“You can learn the signs by writing them down and teach the meanings through writing.”

As the two of them took turns speaking, the other nobles who had been standing around also agreed that it was a good idea.

“To Lindbergh? But…”

That…

Leia couldn’t continue her sentence.

Though it was a welcome proposal, she was worried about bringing a noble’s child to Lindbergh, a city in chaos. Leia pondered, and before she could voice her concerns, the Viscount reassured her.

“Of course, His Majesty’s permission must be obtained first, but I believe His Majesty will gladly approve.”

The Viscount’s wife gently squeezed Janis’ hand, saying that she wanted to ask the consent of the person involved before making a decision among themselves.

Both Leia and Janis were surprised at how casually she touched a mere servant without hesitation.

Leia looked up at Glenn, who was still by the Empress’ side, stroking her swollen belly.

It was a quite audacious act, and if it were in Lindbergh, it would be considered undignified and would cause a big commotion. However, the person involved was confident, and the nobles paid no attention.

Leia sighed softly and spoke to the Viscount.

“While I appreciate the sentiment, there’s still much I lack to properly accommodate you. So, how about waiting until things settle down a bit?”

There hasn’t been a precise discussion on how the interference in internal affairs will be carried out.

As Leia, who had a pile of tasks to solve alone without the feudal lords, she didn’t think she would have the capacity to take care of a noble’s child coming from Heineken.

The Viscount shook his head, saying it was an unnecessary concern.

“Accommodate? You just need to provide any room in the castle. Being the closest aide to Princess Leia of Lindbergh, and becoming her mentor, is an honor in itself.”

Leia was actually more surprised by the Viscount’s response.